A functional element and also a component assembly of this kind are known from EP-A-1674741. There an element is claimed which can be attached by riveting to a sheet metal part or in particular an element in the form of a centering bolt. The element is provided with a shaft part and a head part, with the head part having an at least substantially ring-like ring recess at its side confronting the sheet metal part, with the ring recess merging at its radially inner side into a cylindrical section of the head part, which in turn merges into the shaft part and into a tubular rivet section. The tubular rivet section surrounds the shaft part in the region of the head part, is arranged within a ring-like contact surface arranged radially outside of the ring recess and merges at the radially outer side via an at least substantially conical wall into the ring-like contact surface.